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THERE will be a BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Big Four final after all, when St Anthony’s College and Naparima College do battle at Manny Ramjohn Stadium on Saturday.

It is actually the final match day of the round robin competition amongst the top four teams, but after both teams won in contrasting fashion yesterday--St Anthony’s triumphing 4-3 in a thrilling encounter against San Juan North Secondary at home in Westmoorings and Naparima winning 5-2 away to Speyside Secondary in Roxborough--their meeting will decide who takes the trophy.

The “Tigers” will feel good about their day’s work despite being pushed hard by a feisty San Juan, as they twice pulled themselves out of a deficit to lead 3-2 by halftime.

San Juan traded goal for goal with the Tigers, whose ever-present goal threat Kwesi Allen’s 86th-minute item not only notched his hat-trick, but quelled the visitors’ fightback in the end. Try as they might, San Juan showed they had some fight left in them, but not enough to register an equaliser to keep them in the Big Four hunt.

San Juan’s lanky forward Brent Sam put them on top in the 14th minute with a blast that left Tigers goalkeeper Carlton Alfonso “strung up” after Sam dribbled past two defenders.

It was the home team’s turn to answer in the 18th, a penalty that midfielder Matthew Woo Ling calmly slotted in after a call with which the few San Juan fans certainly voiced their displeasure.

That call was forgotten threes minutes later when Josiah Trimmingham put them back on top, a fierce header off a corner kick that nestled sweetly in the net.

The Tigers weren’t done. Within a seven-minute period they turned the deficit into a 3-2 lead, Allen striking both times both times taking advantage of poor goalkeeping by San Juan’s D’Andre Villaroel poach successive close range strikes in the 30th and 37th minutes.

The goalfest did not stop there. San Juan levelled the match in the 51st with another unstoppable blast from Sam driven home from 18 metres out.

From there it was a seesaw battle for the decisive strike. The home side did a good job of marking Sam out of the penalty area, having learned their lesson about how deadly the striker can be.

They also seemed keen for the fight on a heavy outfield drenched by rain during the encounter, even though it did not suit their passing game. The dead ball situations became their best options, but San Juan held at the back, and plodded forward with heavy legs trying to force the upset.

Allen, though, added a little rain of his own. San Juan fended off a corner kick, but the clearance only brought the ball St Anthony’s way. After a quick throw-in found its way to Allen, he turned and lashed it into the net to the dismay of the San Juan goalkeeper and the delight of the home fans.

A couple of nervy moments for both sides brought no further scoring, meaning St Anthony’s will now get their chance at revenge over League winners Naparima, whose away win over St Anthony’s turned out to be the difference between the teams in the League after art Anthony’s got off to a perfect six-game start, before losing three times in a row--including to San Juan--to hand over the title. It makes Saturday’s fixture a mouth-watering prospect all on its own.

Teams

St Anthony’s College: 1.Carlton Alfonso; 2.Jared Flament, 23.Mawasi Charles (capt), 4.Isaiah McIntyre, 18.Simon Joseph; 6.Leon Whyle, 7.Denzel Woods (11.Adriel Kerr 89th); 25.Shakeem Patrick (19.Andrew Rullow 46th), 14.Matthew Woo Ling, 8.Jules Lee (9.Darius Olliveira 80th); 10.Kwesi Allen.

Unused substitutes: 22.Oba Augustin (GK), 5.Keston Herrera, 15.Shem Clauzel, 17.Raheem Borde.

Coach: Nigel Grosvenor

San Juan North: 1.D’Eandre Villaroel; 12.Warren Chase, 24.Levi O’Brien, 3.Hakeem Wilson, 6.Jamal Roach; 22.Jermell Britto, 20.Josiah Trimmingham, 5.Shayon Eustache, 16.Brandon Semper (17.Oneil Jarvis 57th); 19.Joshua Leach (18.Marcus Rosales 77th), 9.Brent Sam (capt).

Unused substitutes: 26.Sterling Sween (GK), 4.Kenyan Huggins, 21.Kyle Mack, 23.Benjamin Magloure, 25.Kyle Williams.

Coach: Jerry Moe

Referee: Larry Lalchan